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Woodill Wildfire

1953 Woodill Wildfire Series II

Like the Californian featured yesterday, this is another 1950s fiberglass special. Well not really a “special” as it did enter production – in fact, 1953 was the first year for Robert Woodill’s sports car. It came assembled from the factory or could be had as a kit. Series II Cars were Ford based – although mechanicals from other manufacturers were used on occasion (Series I cars had Willys engines). This one has a 3.3-liter Ford V8. The car also only weighs 1,600 pounds, so it should be a performer.

The Wildfire was among the first all-fiberglass sports cars available – barely beating the Corvette to market. Only 24 are believed to have been built – 15 Series I (Willys-based) cars and nine Series II cars. This is the second-to-last Series II car built and one of only two known to exist. Woodill also sold between 100-300 kits.

This car is all-original, having been maintained since the 1970s by a Corvette collector familiar with early fiberglass sports cars. It has only covered 1,602 miles in its life. I’ve seen another Wildfire for sale a few years ago and it was red. I like this one in white better. It could be mine – or yours – for $110,000-$140,000. For the complete lot description, click here. For the rest of Worldwide’s Auburn lineup, click here.

This car was advertised by the auction house as having been a Series II. The Fast ‘n Loud connection is interesting, but I’m wondering what they did to it that they expected to squeeze an extra $10-40k out of it (according to the estimate). But hey, you win some you lose some.

Dennis who bought the Wildfire from the fools of Fast N Loud, lost money because the buyer for this car could tell it was not original. So he lost money but should have lost much more. Richard of Fast N Loud, is just a hillbilly wanting to make a fast buck. Loser……………………..!

Who ever believes these “real” shows should have thier head examined, these are scripted shows, nothing is real about them, just the time it takes to ‘PRODUCE’ them. They are for entertaiment only. No body is loosing any money, they are all in the screen actors guild, making thousands per show!!

Woodhill back from paint. Ready to fiish and drive. This Woodhill last ran in the 60’s. It has been in storage from 1964 till last year. Will have a 454 chevy, 400 turbo. For street onlyThe man in the back is 74 years young. He won his class (BM/SP) the detroit national drags driving this car in 1961 with 283, 2 – 4 barrel carbs and 4 speed.

I think it was a real shame that Fast and Loud got ahold of this car. Cutting down the windshield, he should be shot. This car deserved to be original, it’s a crime to butcher a car like this. Too bad the guy who bought it lost money, but the value would have been in the original car. Someone like Wayne Carrini of chasing classic cars would have known have to care for it, how to fix it, and most importantly, how to sell it in the right venue to someone that would appreciate it.

I agree with you and this is why I really don’t care for custom cars – especially customs made of cars that are perfectly capable of being original and rare. And Wayne Carini is the man, it’s a shame he didn’t come across it first.

I just saw that episode, I know nothing of these cars, but do know you don’t hack up an original just to make a buck. They cut 3 inches from the rear bumper, “fixed” the gas tank and filler neck, cut the windshield, 2 tone paint, and custom wheels. *sigh* What a shame.

It blew my mind when Fast N Loud did modify the wind shield and painted the hood black. When I was young my father took me to many car auctions. First thing look but do not touch. Also admire the mint condition of all cars. Since there where only two known to exist, this sporty car had it not been hacked up could have brought a nice $200,000 to $500,000. The fools of Fast N Loud should have made contact with Jay Leno or transported it to Barrett Jackson.

THE TWEAKED OUT MONKEY MEN OF FAST N’ LOUD, DESTROYED ANOTHER GEM, I THOUGHT THE SHOW WAS FAKE UNTILL THEY STARTED TO BUTCHER THIS ROADSTER, DENNIS WHO BOUGHT IT, MUST BE A MENTAL MIDGET, HE ALSO CLAIMED ONE OF HIS JENSEN HEALYS IS WORTH OVER A MILLION, NEVER EVER SEEN A J-H BRING THAT KIND OF MONEY!!!!

My brother has a woodill wildfire. won detroit national drags in 1961 bm/sp class. it has been in a garage scince last year. he has built a new frame and will have it done in a year. he won when he was 17 and he is over 70 and putting it back together. he has a good story to tell about his wildfire kit car.

this was the first episode of Gas Monkey that I have ever watched, I could not believe the fools were making all those changes to this pristine low milage collectable. It was original paint and interior when they got it…everything they touched devalued the car. Too bad the original owner did go directly to Wayne Carini, or perhaps Leno or Barrett Jackson

I am a 75 yr old G’ma and just saw the show and I CRINGED when I saw these so called “experts” trashing a beautiful original with their version of “better”….unfortunately that is what happens to too many of the original classics….even G’mas… with loads of plastic surgery and too much make up…

I agree that you should not believe everything you see on these shows. You’ll notice how these car shows always recycle the same plot of how they have to fix the car fast because the buyer is on their way. Totally fake.

Boy o boy what were those Gas Monkey guys thinking. This was a production car not a kit car. You never modify something so rare. Stupid is a word for those guys. The owner should had never contacted that TV show. Buy doing those mods to the car they not only destroyed the original car but the value of the car could had been 200,000. Cutting the windshield, modifing the gas tank, changing the original wheels and painting it the wrong color was such a dumb mistake. The TV show and producers should be embarrassed for what they did to American car history. This would be the same if you had turned an orignal Tucker into a hot rod.

These guys are complete hacks, even as hot rodders. There are certain cars you just don’t f*** with and this is one of them. Honestly, they could have just cleaned it up mechanically and refreshened it a bit and it would have been worth far more than a full restoration. These guys are not well liked due to what they have been accussed of in the past (look up gas monkeys scandal). I was jumping up and down when they said they were going to “cut down” the windshield on this thing. The guy that sold them this car for a supposed “35k” should have committed a robbery and taken it back before all the hacking ensued.

I was just introduced to the Fast ‘n Loud show this past weekend, and just last night I watched the episode featuring this car. In the other episodes where they refresh a tired hotrod, or restore a beat up car, I like it, and I think the show is entertaining.

BUT, when you see a ridiculously rare car in absolutely pristine, dead original, virgin condition such as this museum piece, you absolutely don’t go hacking it to pieces. I have grown up around classic American iron and antique/vintage/classic cars and car shows my entire life, and the one very well known fact which unfortunately many people fail to comprehend is: ‘Customizing’ or ‘Improving’ an time-capsule car like this completely devalues it. Even if this had 10x the mileage, the paint was faded and checked, the interior beat to death, and the wheels pitted up, I’m confident the car would have gone for considerably more than it did after it was screwed with.

I watched that Fast N Loud episode and why they would change any of original equipment like the windshield, upholstery, bumper, paint, etc., rather than cleaning and refurbishing to look new. Everything looked nice for a 6o yr. classic. A sucker is born every minute and they found one that bought it!

Can’t believe the fast and loud guys chopped this car up. Whether the show is real, fake, or some of both, that was a real rare car. Damn. If anyone winds up with that car and wants to take it back to original, they’re s.o.l. because there just aren’t for-parts wildfires lying around.. Words fail me. Rice burners and farm trucks are about the only things, in my opinion, that should be customized. I can’t even stand to see people hack up model t’s though (unless it’s just not a good candidate to be restored back to original condition).. And they were mass produced. Anyway, glad to know I’m not the only one who was cringing as this car was raped- I mean modified.

I was appauled and floored when they took it apart to “restore it” That car was beautiful as it sat, it needed nothing but a good going over and detailing. I was shocked he got 100,500.00 for it also. There is a guy local to me that owns an all original GT500KR convertible mustang, its rough, cracked paint and normal age stuff but its all original. Jay Leno called him and offered to buy that car from he, he turned him down. You just cant beat original for as rare as some cars are. Gas Monkey should have given the buyer all the original parts to he could put it back to stock, they way it should have been.

As a collector of rare muscle cars, a friend of mine asked if I had ever been to the Gas Monkey Garage, which I have never been, nor seen until now, nor will I ever, and was talking about the Wildfire episode……..was completely appalled by their complete and total ignorance, stupidity, and shear disrespect for automobiles. I hope these losers are out of business sooner rather than later! Complete Morons!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! These guys couldn’t fix a toilet!

I guess my issue is why would you go through all the trouble of doing more work to make it worth less? It really doesn’t make any sense. I guess it goes to prove that these idiots are more actors than car guys. I honestly hate when all shows, hack up original cars, especially rare ones (Yes, even the master Chip Foose has ticked me off more than once on this), but hey it makes for good tv right?

THE TWEAKED OUT MONKEY MEN OF FAST N’ LOUD ARE MENTAL, I THINK THE SHOW IS FAKE, THIS DENNIS GUY, WHO BUYS THIS BUTCHERD WILDFIRE FOR A TV PRICE OF $100,+ $500. BILL, MUST BE IN ON IT. I THINK THE REAL PRICE WAS DIFFERANT FROM THE GET GO,THAT INCLUDES THE COST OF THE CAR TO BEGIN WITH, ALL THESE “REALITY” SHOWS ARE NOT REAL!!! LIKE PAWN STARS,AMERICAN PICKERS,STORAGE WARS,MOONSHINERS YOU NAME THEM,FAKE FAKE FAKE AND MORE FAKE, THEY THINK THE PEOPLE WHO WATCH THIS CRAP ARE STUPID, SO LETS FILM ANOTHER EPISODE!!! P.S. DENNIS SAID HIS JENSEN HEALY IS A SEVEN FIGURE CAR, I HAVE NEVER SEEN A J-H IN THAT PRICE RANGE MORE FAKE STUFF,

You are right but its a NASH HEALY that this DENNIS thinks is a seven figure car, he must be hanging out with gas monkey too long, what idiot would buy a NASH-HEALY for over a million dollars!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!